The Marriage Pact

A Novel

Picture-perfect newlyweds Alice and Jake are unexpectedly initiated into a mysterious organization designed to keep marriages happy and intact through seemingly sensible rules that become increasingly exacting and subject to brutal enforcement.

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I wanted to like this book. The premise of how far would you go to protect your marriage was intriguing. So I start to read with interest. Until I get to about chapter 37 where events start to get increasingly hard to accept as possible reality. I like suspense novels but they have to be believable or they just become a joke. The book reminded me a bit of 1984 and the Handmaid's Tale but those novels scared and horrified me because I could envision the events really happening in my world. In this book I'm supposed to accept that a group of 12,000 members worldwide is supposedly so powerful that the main characters are scared to call the police, willingly put on straight jackets and get into planes with strangers to stay in prison in order to "save their marriage"? Please.

I'm on a stay-cation, and read this book in one day while the Olympics were on mute in the background. I mean, it's fine ... it's a thriller drama, and kept me engaged. But, in truth, there were so many weird unbelievable moments in this story; and I know I should just suspend my disbelief and go with it, but... so many weird moments. I also agree with others that the ending left me cold. You may enjoy this book, but I guarantee you won't remember it 6 months from now.

I agree with Heavenne. This was one of the best books I've ever read until the ending. It's inconclusive and disappointing not knowing what happened. After reading reviews of this author's other books, this seems to be her signature endings. Disappointing. This book was too well written and entertaining to end feeling like you were owed something more definitive after the investment of reading the well detailed and never boring story.

This book was a complete page turner. I loved the mood, I loved the atmosphere and the tension that was prevalent throughout nearly the entire novel. It was such an excellent read I had to put aside everything else so that I could progress further until I finished.